sad day on the farm

We had a great day today. We had a lazy morning and then headed to the apple festival, in Hendersonville. Then we went to work on cows & sheep. After pulling, tugging, and walking we were headed back to the house and Sam started yelling. I thought she was hurt and I went running up the road. What a sight..me in my tie dye shirt, covered in cow muck, gray shorts, and my big red crock boots..I think the cows were laughing at me...running up the road. She was not hurt, but her rabbit, Swirt died. So, we had to have a rabbit funeral. We brought the car around so we can see and dug a hole and then put some rocks on top. Said a few words and sung little bunny fufu..what else do you sing at a rabbit's funeral? Sam is walking around the house now singing "Everyone wants to go to heaven, just not right now." song. I guess it is life on the farm, but it is still hard when your baby is crying. Swirt will be missed, she was adorable with the whites fur and red eyes. She loved carrots and running in circles. Rest in peace....ball of fur.

It is raining

I would like to thank the Lord for the rain today. We haven't had rain in 3 months but it has been raining for 2 days now. Idea of the day....there are 2...
*the goats smell bad when they get wet
*turkeys don't like getting wet
Things have been good at the funny farm. The girls made it a full week of school. The twins went to there 1st dance last Thursday...they spend 1/3rd of the dance in the bathroom, talking about boys. Tori is the girl's volleyball manager, her 1st game was away, they lost but they enjoyed being on the bus with the boys soccer team. Jenna is going to be the manager of the girls soccer team this spring. They have meet some real nice people and they love their teachers. Sam has done great. She says 3rd grade is not hard. She doesn't like the ride from middle school to her's in the morning...she doesn't want to be an only child. She did sign up for chess club and it will start next week. We all went to an outside movie Saturday night. Flecther Parks showed a disney movie, so we brought supper and enjoyed. This weekend the funny farm grew. We got 3 diary cows, and 3 wool sheep. check the blog this weekend for pictures and updates. We did reach a milestone. I turned 35 yesterday. I bet no one else got a cement cow for their yard and cow seat covers for their birthday. I will add a picture later. Well, better go and make sure the chickens are not swimming away.

4 H

The girls went to their 1st 4 H meeting Saturday night. We went out to Sandy Mush for a show clinic. By the end of the day I could tell you everything you wanted to know about chickens, sheep, and cows. What temperature they like their water, what is their favorite brand of soap, and how to give a sheep a crew cut. The girls had a blast. They really enjoyed meeting the kids and getting dirty. The leader of the group has a daughter who is 9 and her name is Jenna. By the end of the night you couldn't separate the 2 Jennas. Tori got to shave a T in the sheep and Sam got to learn how to blow dry a chicken. Things I never thought I would say. The people of Sandy Mush 4 H are great. Very nice and welcoming new people from outside their community. No one in our area does a live stock meeting so we will be going out their once a month to see what we can learn. They work with animals, do a lot of community service, and have lots of fun. I know Granny is looking down enjoying knowing that the girls are falling in her foot steps. I just can't picture her washing a chicken or clipping a cow...I know she did more of the sewing and cooking but that the neat part of the club it seems like they do it all. Head Heart Hands Health
But I can say these are the Bear's girls. We were coming down Leicester Hwy about 9:30 that night and a little voice from the back of the blue bus says...do you think the red sign is on? The red sign I said..Yes the Hot and Now sign. So I made a phone call and pulled up to the Krispy Cream drive thru to order the best. We eat a few, got some for breakfast for Sunday, and took a dozen to Ho & Bear. The steering wheel is a little sticky now from the ride home. Like Mother, like daughter, like grand daughter.

ice cream party

What do you do with 12 pints of ice cream? You start eating. I entered an Edy's ice cream contest. They wanted to know about my community. So I wrote about the fair and Avery's Creek. I won!!! The fed Ex man delivery a big box in July full of ice cream, we got another box of spoons, napkins, and cups. We were to have a block party with our neighbors. I don't think the goats and chickens eat a lot of ice cream so we came up with the idea of taking it to the Ag center to share with the whole community. It was a hit. It looked like the little as well as the big kids enjoyed it. Fact of the day..if you are going to bring ice cream to a party don't use 2 bags of dry ice to keep it cold. It is to frozen to serve. You must then microwave the ice cream so you can get it out of the container. A good 30 seconds works to melt the ice cream. Thanks Edy's for sponsoring dessert at the clinic.

fair clinic

We got up early Saturday morning and headed to the Ag center for an animal clinic. We learned how to give a chicken a bath, how to hold and show a turkey, how to shear a sheep, and how to get your cow to listen. I can't even get my kids to listen and they want me to get a 800 pound cow to. I am so glad our turkey's are not white...maybe I can just get away with wiping them down with a baby wipe instead of trying to get them in a tub of warm water without getting totally wet. I will need to buy stock in Ivory dish soap. All the animals get a bath in that. If you ever wanted to know you need to wash your chickens 2 weeks before you show them. Another strange thing is you need to was your sheep and blow dry them before you shear them. If you don't it can dull your cutters and you have a ton of wool in your kitchen to dry like I have right now. Just another day on the funny farm.

the 2nd day

here is what the girls looked like the second day of school...everyone loved their teachers and found out that they did know people in their classes. Not much homework, not yet at least. Talk of the twin's 1st school dance coming up this next week. Nothing like throwing them in to the mix. I am getting old.

school is back in

The twins started middle school and Sam is going into 3rd grade. Everyone is so excited about school...the twins even know there locker combo..thanks to their Granny Bear. Here is a picture of the girls on the morning of the 1st day of school. Having to leave the house by 7am is going to be hard..we are not morning people. The outfits featured in this article were supplied by the fabulous Aunt Jan from the summer collection. I can't believe they are growning up so fast.

back to being a farmer

OK one week we are at the beach and the next we are playing on the farm. We went out to Reid Hill to see all the new animals and play around in the creek. The two new Lamas are so cute, Booger is getting big, and all the babies have grown. There were a few baby chicks running around. The girls had a great time. Jenna said it is great to be back home.

water park

while we were in Fla we went to the Daytona Lagoon. The girls and I had a great time. We got to play with our new water camera and go down every water slide. From Black Beard's ride to the Whirlly Wig. I just have one question...why does it take so long to climb up all the stairs...I am out of shape..for a 2 minute ride down the slide? I enjoyed the lazy river...maybe that is why I am out of shape. The girls got me to climb the water ropes and go thru the tunnel. The afternoon was cut a little short because of a thunder storm but we had already ridden the slides at least.

some things we meet

here are some of the neat animals we meet this week....nothing better than hands on learning

only in the keys

see there were stranger people than us there

more

more pictures

the view

a picture says a thousand words...island time is worth a lifetime....better than any post cards..

great times

It was great
family...food...and fun

boat trips

here are some pictures of our daily boat trips with the captain...Captain Andy. It was better than any 3 hour cruise you could have had.

family

OK only in our family!!! You can't say we are not all related. I see similarities! Do you? I think I am adopted.